Ten years ago, the United States entered Iraq and in a few short weeks ended Saddam Hussein's reign of tyranny. What followed -- wild swings between victory and defeat, liberation and occupation -- and ended with President Barack Obama's decision to withdraw all US forces from Iraq in 2011, is likely to be a source of contention for years to come.

As we approach the anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq War, many questions remain: Is Iraq a success? What role will Iran and al Qaeda play in the vacuum left by the withdrawal of American forces? Were the war and the liberation of 25 million Iraqis worth the high price Americans paid in blood and treasure?

Please join us as we reflect on a conflict that helped shape the beginning of the 21st century in American foreign policy. Senator John McCain will be joined by a panel featuring General Jack Keane (ret.) and AEI's Frederick W. Kagan.

Frederick Kagan

Frederick Kagan is a military historian who has taught at West Point and is now Resident Scholar at the American Enterprise Institute specializing in defense issues and the American military. He is the author of The Military Reforms of Nicholas I: The Origins of the Modern Russian Army and the co-author of While America Sleeps: Self-Delusion, Military Weakness, and the Threat to Peace Today with his father, Donald Kagan.

General Jack Keane

Gen. Jack Keane, ret. is senior managing director and co-founder of Keane Advisors, LLC, a private equity firm. General Keane has been elected to the board of directors of Metlife and General Dynamics. He is also a member of the Secretary of Defense's Policy Board, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a director and member of numerous nonprofit organizations. Gen. Keane, a retired four-star general, completed 37 years in public service in December 2003, culminating as acting Chief of Staff and Vice Chief of Staff of the US Army. Still active in national security, Gen. Keane conducted multiple assessments of the security situation in Iraq for senior defense officials to include two visits in the last four months.

John McCain

John McCain entered the Naval Academy in June of 1954. He served in the United States Navy until 1981. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona in 1982 and elected to the United States Senate in 1986. He was the Republican Party’s nominee for president in the 2008 election. He currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services.